


Fuck the Government NOT LIKE THAT

by DisasterLesbean



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, Fluff, Past Relationship(s), Sort of Volume 7 but Without Salem, The Happy Huntresses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-13
Updated: 2020-02-13
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:33:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22688539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DisasterLesbean/pseuds/DisasterLesbean
Summary: Robyn has to curse how confident Winter is. Usually Robyn is the confident one in a relationship, she’s the one who pursues and says smooth lines. Winter has a way of flipping their roles around
Relationships: Minor or Background Relationship(s), Robyn Hill/Winter Schnee
Comments: 9
Kudos: 119





	Fuck the Government NOT LIKE THAT

No one has said anything in ten minutes. Considering how much the Happy Huntresses usually talk, it’s incredibly odd.

At the same time, Fiona isn’t sure she wants to hear anyone talk.

Joanna sure doesn’t. She just keeps shaking her head in disappointment.

“It’s not-” Robyn tries breaking the silence and Fiona raises her hand. 

“You guys are being ridic-” May starts and Joanna shakes her head.

Fiona and Joanna sigh, look at each other, and then look back at Robyn and May’s sheepish expressions.

It all started with a case of missing slippers.

Fiona would sacrifice them if it erased the last four hours of her life.

//

Robyn has known Winter for some time. She remembers the first time Winter glared at her, a chip on her shoulder and everything to prove. They were comrades before they were enemies. They wouldn’t define themselves as enemies, of course. That would be admitting to conflict and inequality. The thing is, they do know each other. No matter how much Winter pretends otherwise. 

Robyn’s feelings are complicated as a result.

Part of Robyn, a large part, loathes Winter. She hates the drone in the uniform who mindlessly follows Ironwood’s lead. She replaced one toxic father figure for another. She hates that a woman as strong as Winter can’t or won’t stand on her own. 

Most of her can’t hate Winter.

She remembers the woman who left her abusive family. She struck out on her own and flourished. Robyn knows the confident line in Winter’s shoulders, the glint in her eyes, the barest hint of a pleased smile. Winter is kind when her walls aren’t up. She loves her sister. She is a rare talent and a capable fighter. Then came Ironwood and all the new expectations he carried with him.  
The Winter she knew and respected vanished. 

It’s taken years to find her again. All it took was Jacques making one last mistake. She never thought Ironwood and her would be on the same side. 

Watching Winter snap at her father is refreshing. Her walls nonexistent, the free flowing vitriol, the real Winter of it all. 

It changes things, somehow. 

Winter is different once Jacques is arrested. Robyn isn’t sure if it's that the chip has been taken off her shoulders finally. It could be Penny who Winter is constantly beside, showing an uncharacteristic amount of affection and support. In teaching Penny how to be human, maybe Winter is rediscovering it for herself. RWBY has lingered around in Mantle. It could be seeing Weiss openly help Mantle has opened Winter’s eyes. 

Whatever it is, Winter’s started pushing to help Mantle. Robyn didn’t think one person would make all that much of a difference but it does. Ironwood listens to Winter, hears her point of view. Now that she’s on Mantle’s side? Things are actually changing.

Then Winter takes Whitley into her own home. It’s a surprise to anyone familiar with the Schnee family. 

All of that change causes Robyn to properly reach out. 

“I didn’t think you even liked him.” Robyn opens the conversation. Winter is standing by, watching the protest with observant eyes. 

“It’s not a matter of like.” Winter replies stiffly. 

“I’m not interrogating you, Winter. Just asking as a friend.”

Winter refuses to look at Robyn but she can see the sardonic twist of Winter’s lips. “I do not believe we are anything close to friends.”

“We were.” Robyn replies easily, not letting Winter’s gruffness deter her. 

Robyn sees Winter’s jaw twitch at the reminder. “I’m in the best place to take care of him.”

“Isn’t your mother…well his mother?” 

Winter’s fingers clench before she releases them. “Even if Jacques isn’t around she is not a suitable guardian.” Winter refuses to call Jacques her father which Robyn can’t fault her for, she is surprised by the contempt over her mother. She shouldn’t be. She knows Winter’s mother was implicit in everything that happened. Still, she thought Winter would carry some love or loyalty to her mother. She knows Willow helped Weiss prove Jacques corruption. 

“How do you mean?”

“Robyn.” 

“Again, not trying to write an expose. I’m just concerned.”

“We’ve been against each other for years now. Why the sudden concern?” 

Robyn nods, at least Winter admits there’s sides. “We aren’t now. I’ve never hated you, Snowflake. I’m willing to bet you haven’t hated me either. Even if you tried to.” Robyn knocks her shoulder into Winter’s and surprisingly, Winter turns to look at her. There’s a lot going through her head, Robyn can see the racing thoughts behind pools of blue. 

“You haven’t called me that in a long time.” Winter eventually settles on.

Robyn grins and Winter looks taken aback. “Like you said, we haven’t been in a place for it.”

“You call General Ironwood by nicknames. You call everyone by a nickname. Xiao Long was here for a day before you started calling her Fisticuffs.”

Robyn raises an eyebrow. “Bit jealous there?” 

Winter scoffs and crosses her arms, pointedly looking away from Robyn. “Do not be ridiculous.”

“Well. Tyrannical Bitch earned his nickname fair and square and I’ve always had a soft spot for idiot gay women.”

“I don’t think Xiao Long is a lesbian.”

“I don’t either but I do know she looks at her partner like she’s a four course meal.” 

Winter’s nose scrunches with disgust. “That doesn’t explain why you stopped using a nickname for me.”

“It’s different with you. Nicknames are just nicknames for the others but you…I just couldn’t after everything. You disappeared.” Winter looked back at her and this time Robyn knew exactly where her mind went. Days sparring together, soft mornings with terrible coffee breath and soft smiles, nights between sheets bathed in moonlight, a time when Snowflake was the only name Robyn had for her. 

Winter looks at her like she had, once upon a time, before she shuts it down and looks away. “She’s still a drunk who not only let the abuse happen but perpetuated it in her own way. She’s a victim too, yes, but she can’t be my priority. Whitley needs someone capable of taking care of themselves to take care of him. I’m not the most emotionally capable person but I’m the best suited. Weiss is too young, doesn’t have a stable home, and shouldn’t be responsible. I’m the one who should take care of him. I left and I do not regret that decision, it saved me, but it left him in that place. I’ll do my best to make it up to him and get him help.” Robyn closes her eyes as Winter offers up the truth. She isn’t ready for them but she’s ready to open up, to rebuild something between them. 

“You’ll do well.” Robyn assures her.

“You can’t know that.”

“Sure I can. You’re a caring person, Snowflake. You’re already there for Weiss and Penny, you can do it for Whitley too. Besides, I’m never wrong.”

“That is factually wrong.”

“Oh really? When have I ever been wrong?” 

Mischief curls itself around Winter’s smile and Robyn’s heart speeds up. Oh fuck. She forgot Winter’s effect on her. She was just supposed to start a conversation then flirting happened and now Winter’s flirting back. This is not good for her image. “Councilor Hill, I could point out the dozens of times you’ve been wrong. Unfortunately, someone is about to throw bottles at the protesters and I have a job to do.” 

Robyn does not shiver at Winter using her title. 

As if that’s not bad enough, Winter bodily separates the assailants and the protesters. She puts her back to the protesters, showing to the whole city that she trusts Mantle and puts her faith in them. Robyn hates the Atlesian government, military, and police as much as the next citizen in Mantle. Arguably more considering her history of organized crime against Atlas. She isn’t at all a supporter of Atlas’ power and laws.

It shouldn’t make her eyes widen and mouth dry when Winter reads the assailants their rights and lectures them. It definitely shouldn’t when Winter has enough of their vitriol and aggression and arrests them. They complain the whole time and threaten to report Winter and she just looks them right in the eyes and tells them to go ahead and do it. They’re thrown off by the resistance from Atlesian personnel who have been on their side until recently. 

Winter has ahold of two of them and is leading them towards a transport ship they’re using to hold detainees when she locks eyes with Robyn. If she thought Winter forgot how to read her, Robyn’s dead wrong. She stops halfway to the ship and Robyn swears she can see Winter bite her lip. 

Robyn didn’t come out here to start anything but as it turns out when it’s the two of them, there’s always something. 

Robyn makes a habit of stopping by wherever Winter is stationed but considering her high ranking, she’s usually in her office. Robyn is glad her spot on the council explains why she’d be there so often. Funny enough, after a few weeks, Winter stops by Mantle to visit Robyn.

Robyn brings Winter lunch one day. Winter apparently decided to train and she finds her in Atlas’ bourgeois training room. 

The first thing Robyn notices is that Winter dropped her thick waistcoat and is instead wearing a sleeveless top. The second thing she notices is how heavy Winter is breathing and how sweaty she is. The third thing and the one she has trouble moving beyond is Winter’s arms. 

Then she really notices her arms, most notably the red tinted bandages.

“Snowflake!” Winter turns and smiles slightly at the sight of her. “What happened?” 

Winter scowls at that. “Cinder came by, tried to kill the winter maiden. It was a whole mess. She escaped.” 

“It’s not your fault.” What’s it say that Robyn immediately knows that’s where Winter’s mind would be?

“She beat me. The only reason she didn’t succeed in killing the maiden was because of Ruby Rose.” 

“At least your sister has good taste in women.” That gets a smile out of Winter.

“Not every woman you meet is interested in other women.” 

“Sure but your sister definitely is.”

“The thought of her dating someone like Ruby Rose prematurely ages me.”

“Oh no, we can’t have that. What if it turns your hair white?” Winter laughs and the last vestiges of darkness and failure fade.

“I doubt it’d keep you away.” How very daring, Miss Schnee. 

“There isn’t anything that could keep me away.” Robyn meets the challenge and Winter’s smile grows. It’s not often she gets to see Winter so unrestrained, so at ease. Before she knows it, Robyn’s fingers are tracing Winter’s lips.

“Are you going to do anything about it?” Winter challenges. Robyn has to curse how confident Winter is. Usually Robyn is the confident one in a relationship, she’s the one who pursues and says smooth lines. Winter has a way of flipping their roles around. As Robyn opens her mouth to reply, her scroll rings. She looks down and sees Fiona’s picture and name. “There’s one thing, it appears.” 

“I’m sorry.”

Winter shakes her head, her smile softens and Robyn’s heart thuds. “Don’t apologize. Your work is important, you’re making changes.” 

Robyn looks away and bites her lip. Winter goddamn Schnee. She wants to kiss her but she doesn’t want it to be a quick goodbye kiss, not when it’s the first time they’ve kissed in years. “Thanks. Change your bandages they’re soaked in sweat and blood.”

“I will.”  
She doesn’t expect to see Winter for a few days but less than a day later, she barges into Robyn’s office. 

“What-” Winter strides up to Robyn, grabs her scarf and pulls her into an explosive kiss. Robyn is shocked but quickly reciprocates. Robyn stands up and slides an arm around Winter’s waist, pulling her closer. She backs them towards the door, not trusting the Happy Huntresses not to walk in. She presses Winter against the door frame and locks the door with a free hand. “Well, hello.” 

“I need you naked ten minutes ago.” Winter licks her lips and Robyn raptly watches the movement. 

Robyn has no respect for the military but hearing Winter’s voice so full of command? Turns out she’s good at following orders when they come from her.

She’s found one good thing about the uniform and it’s how it highlights the dark width of Winter’s pupils.

\\\

Fiona’s feet get cold easily. She always wears socks or at night, slippers. 

“I can keep you warm.” Joanna sleepily murmurs, tightening her arm around Fiona. Joanna hates cold feet, which made Fiona’s need for socks and slippers work well in a relationship. Still, Joanna covers Fiona’s cold feet with her own warm ones, heroically trying to take one for the team. 

“It’ll bother me if I can’t find them.” Fiona grumbles, not necessarily wanting to leave bed. She knows she won’t stop thinking about it if she doesn’t find them. 

“Noooo.” Joanna groans as Fiona pulls away to go look for them. Fiona smiles at Joanna’s grumpy displeasure and kisses her before she leaves. Fiona’s glad she has socks when the cool air brushes against her arms and makes her shiver. 

She should have stayed in bed.

She shouldn’t have looked for her slippers.

She should not have checked other people’s bedrooms.  
The thing is, the Happy Huntresses have always just walked into each other’s rooms. Don’t want someone in? Lock the door. That’s the rule. They almost never lock doors, that’s just not how they are. They’ve always been open to each other. For the longest time, it’s felt like them against the world.

When Robyn’s door handle doesn’t halt with a lock, Fiona doesn’t think to knock or hesitate. She’s never had to, none of them have had to.

Fiona screams and slams the door. A half-dressed May piles out of her door, an equally undressed Marrow following behind. 

“Fee, are you okay?” May has her weapon in hand and looks ready to murder someone for Fiona.

Fiona’s mind sort of breaks and her eyes get locked on Marrow’s bare chest. 

She screams again. 

Joanna slides into the hallway, her own weapon in hand. Her brow crinkles with confusion at the scene. “Are you okay?”

Robyn opens the door with a very hastily dressed Winter behind her.

Joanna’s eyes bounce between Robyn, Winter, May, and Marrow. “Living room. Now.” Joanna huffs, lowering her weapon.

“It’s-” Winter’s stiffly starts only for Robyn to elbow her stomach. 

“Can I grab a shirt?” Marrow asks May, looking uneasily at everyone else. May rolls her eyes and shoves him back into her room. He quickly reemerges with a shirt.

Winter sits down next to Robyn and Marrow next to May but Fiona and Joanna remain standing. 

“It’s not-” Robyn tries breaking the silence and Fiona raises her hand. 

“You guys are being ridic-” May starts and Joanna shakes her head.

Fiona and Joanna sigh, look at each other, and then look back at Robyn and May’s sheepish expressions. “I did not expect this.” Joanna’s lips thin and everyone who knows her swallows. Joanna isn’t the most chatty of them. She’s more talkative than others give her credit for but still, she tends to listen. “So, how’d you too become class traitors?” Joanna rests her hands on her hips and looks down at the other two.

“Class traitor seems a bit harsh.” May rebuts.

“Atlas has spent decades grinding the people of Mantle into the dirt. I’d say it’s adequate.” Joanna easily replied. Marrow shifts uneasily and May rests her hand on his leg, giving him a soft smile. 

“He’s going to leave the Ace Ops and come join us.” May shoots Joanna a look and to everyone’s surprise, Joanna shrugs.

“Cool. You?” Joanna switches focus to Robyn.

“Winter’s been helping us for over a year now.” Joanna nods at the reasoning. Winter looks tense and not happy at having to be here.

“What do you think?” Joanna asks Fiona. She reaches over and brushes her fingers against Fiona’s arm.

“Whoawhoawhoa!” May all but shouts, standing from her seat to glare at them. 

“What!” Robyn shoots up besides May.

“When the fuck did this happen?”

“You two have been interrogating us this whole time when you’ve been hiding your relationship?”

“We haven’t been hiding it.” Fiona disagrees.

“We’ve been open about it, neither of you noticed.” Joanna shrugs their ire off easily.

“We know how to lock doors, too.” Fiona mutters, an ear flicking with irritation. 

“Why did you scream?” Joanna asks her. Fiona knows by the glint in Joanna’s eyes that she already knows.

“Skin. So. Much. Skin.” Fiona shudders and Winter huffs. 

“So, are we all cool?” May asks, looking at everyone in turn. 

“Lock your doors.” Joanna says seriously.

“We’re happy for you guys, really. I just need to go burn my eyes.” 

Joanna wraps her arms around Fiona when she groans at the reminder of what she saw. 

Marrow’s shoulders have relaxed at the approval and May runs a hand through his hair, her smile wider than before. 

Robyn looks proud of herself and Winter avoids eye contact with everyone.


End file.
